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by heartandseoul (tokyolights)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Road Trip, M/M, Multi, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-04 00:24:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14580900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tokyolights/pseuds/heartandseoul
Summary: It hold them up a bit-but after confirming that Jungwoo isn’t a stowaway without a visa, they let him through. Yukhei keeps his promise and within five minutes is screaming along with Ninjari Bang Bang while Chenle and Renjun contemplate on how to throw themselves out the window quietly.Jungwoo smiled a huge smile: this is family, this ishome.





	1. Chapter 1

Jungwoo slept through the entire flight home.

Okay wait, context is important. Here’s the context: Jungwoo flew to Hong Kong to visit Lucas. Yukhei, actually. Lucas was his online name. Jungwoo flew to Hong Kong because he and Yukhei were friends of five years already, connected through their computer screens. They had plenty of conversations through the confines of Skype and Facetime. So Jungwoo took a plane from Korea-from  _ Busan _ where he knew the language and could navigate his way-to Hong Kong. Where it’s just Hong Kong, the nation of skyscrapers as Yukhei liked to say.

They have fun regardless. Jungwoo finds he doesn’t have to bundle up, and Yukhei laughs at him in his tank top and skinny jeans. They go out and get coffee a lot and dick around on their phones on the floor of Yukhei’s apartment. They stream Netflix and munch on put chai ko and deuk deuk tong. Whatever they wanted to eat, Yukhei ordered. 

Yukhei lived with two other people: Zhong Chenle from Shanghai and Huang Renjun from Jilin. They’re alright. Chenle is loud, and maybe he knows  _ way  _ to many things about Jungwoo and Yukhei’s relationship while Renjun is kind of quiet. He’s also grumpy and tags along for coffee and snacks and places to go when he needed time to cool off. Chenle is 23, Renjun is 24, and Yukhei is 25. Jungwoo feels old realizing that he’s 26 years old and smiles a small smile.  

Rejun’s boyfriend was nice too. 

He was tall and lanky, attractive for someone so young. His name is Lee Jeno and he’s from Incheon. Jungwoo smiles, he can finally have a conversation in Korean with someone native that wasn’t broken. Jeno gives Jungwoo a small smile when Renjun introduces them that’s warm and inviting. Then Jeno proceeds to kick their butts in Monopoly. 

Jungwoo thinks being around what was essentially Yukhei’s family was endearing. He also finds it endearing that they put up with him for two weeks. Or, he finds it endearing that they didn’t shame him after missing his flight. 

But that’s  _ after  _ the fact. 

_ Before  _ it’s Jungwoo’s last day in Hong Kong, the sky is overcast. The sadness permeates over the day, evident by the weather. Yukhei wears a beanie, Jungwoo wears Yukhei’s sunglasses and they attempt to brighten up the day as much as they can. 

So, here’s the context you’re  _ actually  _ looking for: Jungwoo and the crew get wasted. Fucking wasted. Maybe because it’s the only way they can have a semblance of a good time without Jungwoo’s inevitable return to Korea looming over their heads. They pre-drink tequila shots and lukewarm beer at the apartment and then Renjun, of all people, directs them to a club. It’s all over after that. 

Yukhei won their drinking contest by a landslide. 

Jungwoo and Chenle get so drunk that around 5am when the group gets home Chenle is convinced he’s going to die and Jungwoo realizes he completely forgot about his flight back to Busan in five hours. Yukhei orders a pizza and passes out while it’s still burning hot.

They wake up hours after Jungwoo’s flight has left. 


	2. Chapter 2

“Dude,” Jaehyun said from the other side, from Busan. Jungwoo’s still there, in Hong Kong, with Yukhei and the boys but missing Korea. Yukhei opened a window, the spring air rushing in. To clear their heads, Yukhei said. A crisp wind blew in the window and Jungwoo groaned. “I went to pick you up. What the heck?”

“Sorry, sorry,” Jungwoo replied. His head is pounding, like his brain was trying to escape the confines of his head but can't and started to liquefy and pour out of his ears. “I woke up, realized what was going on, and cried Jung Jaehyun. It was hard to think beyond my panic.”

Jaehyun sighed. “No harm done. I only had to drive twenty extra minutes from work. Are you going to bring me a souvenir?”

“Of course! I wouldn't forget about that,” Jungwoo can hear Yukhei laughing in the background, smacking his arm lightly. Yukhei shut up.

“But what are we gonna do about, you know,” Jaehyun started, “you being in Hong Kong still?” A part of Jungwoo wanted to stay in Hong Kong, screw Korea and his lack of friends. That part of Jungwoo though, is stupidly funny. Deciding to not go home wasn't an option. Jungwoo had a life in Korea. He still lives in Busan with his family, he has a part time job, a favourite barbecue place, and Jaehyun. All there was for him in Hong Kong was Yukhei, his overflowing suitcase, the queen sized mattress they'd slept on, and the boys.\

“Yukhei said he’d buy me a plane ticket, but the next one won't be available until the thirtieth of May.”

“Isn't it April second?”

“Yep.”

  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Jungwoo and Yukhei meeting is the reason why Jungwoo thought most things are cheesy.     
  
It starts with a double tap, a dm, and a Skype drop. 

Keep in mind, this is back when Yukhei had a few thousand followers and not the bursting million and counting he had now. Up until the point in which they met, Yukhei amassed his following out of being an amateur model in scenic shots around Hong Kong. It was based on Renjun’s photography talents, Chenle’s use of extensive hashtags and Yukhei’s ability to take the most  stunning selfies. Something that Jungwoo would find out in a later post. The latter are the ones with the most likes. 

Then Yukhei, found on Instagram as @lucacity, makes it on the homepage of Tumblr. Or a website of the sorts. Someone writes a generic article about the most stunning new models, or whatever, and they feature a selfie Yukhei took a year or two ago.

Suddenly, Yukhei’s Instagram blows up.

Of course, Jungwoo contributes to the blow up of the century in the best way he can: by following the link to his Instagram and tapping the follow button. To round out the next follower milestone Yukhei had yet to have met. Jungwoo forgot about Yukhei’s Instagram for a few weeks after. Yukhei’s post show up occasionally-artful shots of the surrounding area, winding trees, some buildings with the skyline-but Jungwoo, of course, didn't think anything of it. The posts were the  _ same.  _

One day, Yukhei posts  _ the  _ selfie.

He wore a red hoodie, bang almost covering his eyes. He has a face on his chin and a white t-shirt. The caption is longer than than any of the other posts. It's a solid wall of text thanking everyone who supported him this far and how he’ll continue to develop and grow as a creator. The next picture in the slideshow is him giving acknowledgement of the talent behind the camera, Renjun, and the “marketing genius” behind all the hashtags, Chenle. 

The post is a few hours old when Jungwoo, awake at six in the morning, woke up. And  _ oh- _ alright. That’s-Yukhei’s cute even up close. It's a lighting trick, models use lighting tricks all the time. At least, that's what Jungwoo told himself because there was no way someone can be that gorgeous naturally.

When Jungwoo went on Yukhei’s page for the first time in months, he scrolls to more selfies. It takes a while because, obviously, Renjun and Yukhei liked wide shots that included the areas around them as well as just Yukhei’s face. Eventually Jungwoo finds another one. A semi low quality picture of Yukhei in a leather jacket. 

Okay, it’s  _ not  _ a lighting trick. Yukhei’s actually cute. 

There's a few hundred comments about how cute and precious Yukhei was. A bunch of comments about how some people wanted to take him out on a date, and others flat out caps locking their keyboard and making no sense. 

Of course Jungwoo keeps scrolling. For research purposes. 

He scrolls and scrolls. And scrolls. The only other selfie he finds is from months ago. It's so old that the likes and comment are significantly less than the other selfies. 

The embarrassing part happens when Jungwoo noticed the little heart in the corner was filled. Meaning he just like a selfie.

From over a year ago.

Jungwoo’s mortified, considering his options: to unlike it meant to worry about the notification popping up on Yukhei’s phone, tablet, whatever he used. So Jungwoo decided that it’s in his best interest to own it. Yukhei has millions of followers, Jungwoo’s like really wouldn't make a difference.

The next morning a notification flashed across his screen:  **_lucacity_ ** _ has followed you! _ Jungwoo, at that point, was hyperventilating. That was just his luck, the most embarrassing situation just exponentially increased. His phone dinged, another notification.

**_lucacity_ ** _ : hey!  _

What was Jungwoo supposed to say?

**_jwoos_1998_ ** _ : hey...wow, this is amazing uh… _

**_lucacity_ ** _ : really? ^_^  _

**_jwoos_1998_ ** _ : so...how are you? _

**_lucacity_ ** _ : I'm good, I'm good.  _

Jungwoo was being awkward. The rest of the conversation was too painful for Jungwoo to even recall, but out of it he got a Skype name and the rest of this was history. 

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Jungwoo had a love-hate relationship with Busan. Trapped in an illicit love affair, if you will. 

It’s his favorite place in the world, which is kind of dumb because it was densely populated, traffic was somewhat horrendous, and although it wasn’t as gross as Seoul, it cost money to live there. At least, by the beach like Jungwoo did.  That didn’t change Jungwoo’s mind though, he was sold on Busan. 

Busan was made for him.

Yukhei was making breakfast and, while he does, he’s singing that god damn Pucca theme song out of tune. Jungwoo can hear him from up the hall of the apartment, Yukhei warbling kissy chase, kissy face, wam bam bam from the top of his lungs. 

Jungwoo knew Yukhei liked Disney, but he didn’t know he liked Disney enough to watch  _ that _ of all things. 

Jungwoo got behind him, giving him a hug. “If this is Coffee Prince,” he said, “Then I’m Hangyeol.” Yukhei laughed, flipping the pancake. “Which makes you Eunchan.” 

“Oh really? Because I think I was the one who fell for you first,” Yukhei plated the pancake for Jungwoo to eat, “Which makes  _ you  _ Eunchan.” Yukhei continues singing after his retort, turning his back to work some attentive magic on the food heating up in the pan. 

So Yukhei might be right about that. Whatever, Jungwoo would be Eunchan. He’d always liked the idea of changing people for the better anyway. 

“So I had an idea,” Yukhei starts, “Totally up to you, but Le and Jun somewhat agreed.” Yukhei grabbed a map, circling random places on the map. “So. Let’s go on a road trip.”

“Where would we go?” 

“Well, we’re definitely going to Jilin and Shanghai. To visit Chenle and Renjun’s families. Maybe Beijing”

“Hmm, I’m interested.”

  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

Yukhei's packing the car when Jungwoo calls Jaehyun.

“You’re telling me you’re going on a road trip,” Jaehyun screamed, “Instead of trying to figure out a way to get another-you know, you’re incredible Jungwoo. Incredible.” Jungwoo tells him that it'll be a good experience for him, not to mention he and a Yukhei get to spend more time together before he has to go home. Jaehyun, being the overly worried on Taeyong's behalf friend he was, scoffed. "You know what I'm going to say, right?"

"That I'm being a headass and that Taeyong is gonna eat me if he finds out?"  

"While that is true, that's not what I was gonna say." Jaehyun sighed. Jungwoo waited for some other sarcastic comment from Jaehyun, he was the king of sarcasm within their friend group. “But anyway, have fun. I’ll tell Yong you’ll be out.”

“Thank you so much!” Jungwoo heard Yukhei calling him over. “Jaehyun gotta go help Yukhei finish packing the car. We got kids-”

“You what?!” Jungwoo hung up, putting his phone in his pocket before helping load more things into Yukhei’s black sportswagon. Jungwoo shut the trunk, with a little difficulty considering how packed the normally spacious car was. 

“Hey Yukhei,” Jungwoo asked, “Have you ever been on a trip like this?” Jungwoo realized he asked a little too late in the game, he already said he’d go and wouldn’t break that unspoken promise.  Chenle and Renjun are there too, Renjun saying goodbye to Jeno and Chenle circling cities Yukhei’s telling him to circle with a black sharpie he randomly acquired. 

Yukhei doesn’t look up from what he’s doing. “Not really, but I’ve seen enough American road trip movies to navigate. And Renjun and Jeno have done it in Korea. Gave me a gist when we were drunk again, Renjun insisted it changed his life for the better. How do you feel about walking the Great Wall?”


	6. Chapter 6

Yukhei’s been playing Kyary Pamyu Pamyu since they left the apartment complex. The only Kyary song Jungwoo’s ever heard was that one with the floating eyeballs, which he only ever watched because it was a major cultural turning point of the early twenty-tens. 

“Yukhei please,” Chenle pleaded, “Listen to something else. Like, I don’t know, anything.”

“Please,” Renjun asked. “Maybe some Leehom Wang, Michael Jackson. Anything else! Just hand someone else the AUX cord!”

Yukhei turns the volume down. “When we get to Shenzhen,” he said, “ I’m gonna play Ninjari Bang Bang, we’re gonna stop for food, and then you can have the AUX cord, you uncultured swine.” Crossing the border of Shenzhen is easy and complicated. Easy because Yukhei is there, a native Chinese citizen and speaker. Complicated because Jungwoo is not. 

He’s a born and raised Korean. Gochujang flows through his veins. 

It hold them up a bit-but after confirming that Jungwoo isn’t a stowaway without a visa, they let him through. Yukhei keeps his promise and within five minutes is screaming along with Ninjari Bang Bang while Chenle and Renjun contemplate on how to throw themselves out the window quietly. 

Jungwoo smiled a huge smile: this is family, this is _home_.


	7. Chapter 7

Jungwoo spots a motel on the corner which is ten minutes from a park. It gives Yukhei an excuse to buy some red wine, a picnic blanket, and some snacks. They wake Chenle and Renjun up and they groaned and moaned, but woke up regardless. 

The four eat finger sandwiches and drink wine straight out of the spout, trading it back and forth while Jungwoo is staring up at the sky. It’s a mix of red and orange and Jungwoo loves this. He loves this feeling of home and comfort. Jungwoo’s pulled off his shoes and laid them out in front of him.  The bottle of wine sits near one of them. 

“Jungwoo get up,” Yukhei commands. 

“Huh?” 

“Stand up,” Yukhei gestured, “We're gonna dance.” At first Jungwoo doesn't feel the compulsion to get up. He wasn't a good dancer and frankly he didn't want to embarrass himself in public. But when he saw Yukhei’s face, smiling and a bit rosy, he got up. “Chenle, you brought a speaker? Go get it, scurry on along.” Jungwoo saw Chenle leave to the car and return, a speaker in their hands. “Renjun, I need a video.”

“You got a camera?”

“In the basket.” 

  
  
"You know," Yukhei's breath is close to Jungwoo's ear, "For a bad dancer you sure are good." Jungwoo's arms are wrapped around Yukhei's neck and they're dancing, rocking back and forth. "You're good at this."   
  
Yukhei's hand is warm on Jungwoo's waist, even through his shirt. He feels goosebumps forming on his torso and arms. Jungwoo repositions his arms to settle less awkwardly around Yukhei's ' neck and, while he's lifting, his shirt rides up a bit. Yukhei's fingers touch the bare skin, it even warmer now and part of Jungwoo wanted to flinch away. Yukhei's fingers clenched around the skin of his hip, briefly, before moving his hand away from Jungwoo's waist to take his hand instead.    
  
"Thanks you know," Jungwoo feels himself turning red, "for the compliments."   
  
"It's no problem. It's true." Yukhei smiled. They dance for a good twenty minutes before they both got embarassed. To Jungwoo's defense, he only squashed Yukhei's toes  even then Yukhei laughed. On the way back to the motel, Yukhei hands off his hoodie to Jungwoo. It's warm, and red, and smells exactly like Yukhei.    
  
Jungwoo tried his best not to sigh and melt into it.    



	8. Chapter 8

The next day, the four decided to drive as long as humanly possible without crashing. It was Renjun’s turn to drive, Chenle passed out in the passenger’s seat and Jungwoo with Yukhei in the backseat. They stop at multiple gas stations and the occasional mini mart for cans of energy drinks sand shrimp puffs, the occasional suspicious gas station sandwich being their only option. 

They're on the edge of Guilin when Renjun wanted-no,  _ needed _ -to stop for the night. Only-there's not available hotel. Or motel. Or  _ anything.  _ Renjun let out an audible, “fuck” spill from his lips and Jungwoo can tell. 

Jungwoo can tell Renjun is exhausted. 

And with actual reason. He’d been driving since they reached Shenzhen and sure, if he were actually Superman, he’d be able to stay up with no problem. If they'd stopped for coffee like he asked, well. 

He wouldn't be exhausted. 

But Jungwoo, of course, said no. Caffeine supplied you with all the energy you need at the cost of a crash and no. No, no, and no. Renjun was not going to crash while Jungwoo was here. Renjun wasn't going to crash after Jungwoo left either. Renjun also gave up on the energy drink stash they had, scared that if he drank anymore he’d have a heart attack right where he sat. 

“Hey hey hey,” Jungwoo insisted, “We’ll sleep in the car. Jun don't worry, you and Chenle will stay up there and I’ll stay with Hei. We’ll be right here!”

“It's funny how you thought Chenle was going to move either way.” Yukhei grinned. 

“Listen, it’s not my fault Chenle doesn't listen to you,” Jungwoo replied, “He listens to me.”

“Oh really?” Yukhei smiled, poking his cheek. “Prove it.” And Jungwoo did. With a simply call of his name, Chenle woke up. 

  
The chorus of  _ aw man, really, _ followed soon after. 


	9. Chapter 9

The sun through the window hits Jungwoo directly in the eyes. Jungwoo woke up. He leant over the console, searched for his phone blindly. All he wanted to do was check the time but, of course, Jungwoo lost his balance. When Yukhei woke, a puff of air and a groan, Jungwoo realized. 

He jabbed Yukhei in the ribs with his elbow. 

And now Yukhei was awake. His eyes adjusted to the light and his brain takes in the surroundings. When his gaze settled on Jungwoo, he furrowed his brow. “What are you doing?’ Jungwoo doesn’t reply, still searching for his phone. He finds it wedged between his seat, unlocking it. It read ten am, so he locked it and shoved it in his pocket. 

‘I’m sorry-” he said, “I got cold-”

 “Get off,” Yukhei doesn’t joke around this time. It startles Jungwoo a bit. Yukhei’s voice isn’t playful, isn’t teasing. It definitely wasn’t like back in Hong Kong where Jungwoo would sprawl across his lap and Yukhei would playful tell him to get the fuck off. This was serious. It was sincere and unimpressed. Renjun and Chenle wake up with a startled expression. They’re reclined as far back as possible without crushing the older’s legs. “RJ, time to switch. It's my turn to drive.”

 “Alright,” Renjun said, and unbuckled his seatbelt. He switched quickly with Yukhei. Jungwoo didn't know what he did, but he didn't like it. 

“I’m sorry,” Jungwoo mumbled. Yukhei wordlessly started the car, wordlessly pulled out of the parking lot.

They don’t talk until they get to Guilin.


End file.
